ANC takes Duduzile Zuma to task over her social media statements
Former President Jacob Zuma and her daughter Duduzile
The ANC says it will hold former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla accountable for her social media conduct since the sentencing of her father to 15 months in prison for contempt.
The governing party’s deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte made the statement on Monday during a media briefing after the ANC’s national executive committee meeting.
Zuma-Sambudla, said Duarte, was one of five ANC members who had been hauled over the coals to explain their social media posts, particularly videos — posts which have been interpreted by some as tantamount to incitement of violence.
The daughter of the former president has been vocal, particularly on Twitter, posting videos of the violence that has gripped KwaZulu-Natal since her father’s incarceration.
The violence, which started in KZN on Friday, spread to Gauteng at the weekend, with looting and torching of vehicles and buildings commonplace.
Duarte said there were no VIP members in the ANC and thus Zuma-Sambudla will have to explain herself and what her intentions were in posting the videos.
Even if Zuma-Sambudla mounts a defence that she was just sharing the events, Duarte said this excuse would not fly because the wording in some of her posts — such as “let it burn” — were clearly inciting.
“She will have to answer. She is a member of the ANC and equal to every other member of the ANC. She will have to explain what her tweets mean,” said Duarte. “We are very concerned about Duduzile.”
The party, Duarte added, sympathised with the pain that Zuma’s arrest has caused to his family. She said a mediator had been appointed as part of efforts to get the party and the family to find each other.
Said Duarte: “Yes, we have a mediator working with us and members of the family, trying to calm down the anger of the family members a little bit. We have a good relationship with members of the Zuma family. There is no reason for us to have antagonism and we do not have it.”
–TimesLIVE
About Post Author
